


You & I

by theroomstops



Series: Lily [1]
Category: Bodyguard (TV 2018)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-20 12:18:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19992082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theroomstops/pseuds/theroomstops
Summary: A collection comprised of shorter, very fluffy one-shots, centered around David and Julia’s life onwards. The timeline won’t be chronological, and as is right, we all choose to ignore any/most things after episode 3.(The original characters might appear in other stories, this is mainly for silly,shortone-shots.)





	1. Baby Shark

**Author's Note:**

> My stupid little fluffy ideas have to go somewhere, so this is just a way to write whatever pops into my head. Basically only doing this for mental health reasons. Only the first two chapters are intended to be chronological. Same universe, same original characters, but set at different times.
> 
> This first chapter is an introduction to their new life, and the idea that started it off. It’s about two years after the events of the show at this point, and it’s just a little insight into a normal evening. It's... fluffy AF, sorry.

The front door shuts behind PC Mollison as Julia Montague switches into off mode quickly from determined, in-charge Home Secretary. She leaves the red case at its new, designated spot in the hallway and her work bag on the floor beside it. She hangs her coat and then leans back and searches curiously for the source of the delicious smell that had invaded her senses the moment she stepped foot inside the door. She hears David humming loudly along to 'Baby Shark' and walks the few feet from the hallway towards the living room and open spaced kitchen. Sees his butt shaking as he dances along to the song that had at one point made Julia consider suing its creator for verbal harassment. David stirs various spoons in two casseroles as he moves about swiftly in the kitchen to very enthusiastic applause coming from an audience of one.

“You have got to stop listening to that song. _She_ will stop when you stop.”

“You really get used to it.” David turns around and grins as he dances in exaggerated moves the closer he gets to her. Julia just looks at him. There's a hidden smile behind her pointed look as she takes in the sight of his strong, muscly frame dancing along to that horror of a song. He moves around her and leaves a quick peck on her lips before running to pull a boiling saucepan off the gas. _'Shit! No. Got it.'_

“No, David, you get brainwashed.” David chuckles and pauses the music on his phone.

“Hello, my little darling!” Her daughter has been squealing impatiently since she saw her, her little hands dancing and her feet stomping into the air. Julia breathes in her favorite smell in the world as she lifts the little girl from her chair and takes her in her arms, letting their daughter settle on her hip with loud glee as she babbles at her mother. 

“She probably smells like banana.”

“Mmm. How was _your_ day, Lily?” She presses two soft kisses against her daughter's head and one on her tiny hand as she smiles at the proud father who watches them lovingly from a few feet away.

Lily has shown herself to be a placid, playful, giggly and wildly intelligent baby in the 11 months and 2 weeks of her life thus far. With her wild brown curls and big blue eyes, she was a perfect mix of them both. However, even with all her happy babbling and advanced cognitive skills, it hadn’t turned into anything resembling real words yet, and it had been... frustrating. At least for one of them. David knew there was nothing out of the ordinary, Charlie and Ella had both said ‘dada’ around their first birthday. 

There had been one pointed question from Frances when she’d visited last month, and now Julia could spend an hour sitting on the floor pointing out cars, animals and buildings from Lily’s play sets and books. Usually she was met with a curious look, a cheeky giggle and a little girl that crawled into her lap with a book instead of repeating anything remotely resembling car, or cow or house. She was much more interested in being read to than repeating any of the words back to them. She knew deep down. Knew that saying ‘mama’ and ‘dada’ was more than enough. That she would overcome any doctor examination with ease and praise, even if she didn’t pass the Frances Montague test.

“What did you do today?”

“We met a duck.”

“A duck? She didn't get scared, did she?”

“Almost too brave. And she also met her little friend Ayana this morning, who was happy to share _all_ of her snot and handed out big wet kisses to _everyone_.” Julia steels herself at the tone of his voice, and takes a deep breath when she sees the grim look on David's face before he continues. “Yeah, Alex just called and said they’ve taken Ayana to the doctor because she’s got a temperature, so that’s probably spread already.”

“Poor thing. Well, there’s nothing I like more than an excuse to torture Rob and Tahir a little, is there Lily? We’ll just cuddle up on the sofa and learn some more words, won’t we?” Julia strokes her head and Lily smiles fully, her little teeth on full display as she snuggles into her mother’s comforting arms. David shakes his head, rather confident that his experience says she is soon about to find out the reality of tending to a poorly child, as he turns back to his cooking. “Whenever I’m away for even a day, it serves as a reminder to all of them of how much work I actually do. It'll be good for them. And I won't be ill, so I can work when she's napping.” 

Julia smirks playfully at him as she plays with Lily’s hand. David places the lid on the casserole and turns off the gas, and sidles over to his girls to pull Julia into his arms. His lips have barely touched hers when Lily, squished in the middle, waves her arms and protests loudly with grunts and babbles, much to Julia’s entertainment. David steps back, amused and curious, before he pulls them close again and kisses her. He feels one little hand touches his chest insistently and he looks down, trying to squash his amusement at the fiery toddler beneath him.

“Hey, I was here first, kid. Mummy was mine before she was yours.” David playfully stares down his daughter with a half-closed left eye until she laughs. He drops to the floor and Lily curls against her mother’s chest as her eyes peek upwards, clearly awaiting her father popping up behind a shoulder. She’s not disappointed. David jumps up and whispers _'boo'_ as Lily laughs and makes every attempt to jump along with him. It takes Julia a real effort to keep her securely in her arms, but she can't help but laugh as she witnesses the closeness between father and daughter. David scrunches his nose, mighty pleased with himself, and always excited to be able to entertain Lily with the same games he'd played with Ella and Charlie. 

He moves behind his daughter again, and places a careful hand behind Julia's head and a kiss on her lips. The little hands and grunts between rebel against him again, and Julia places a soothing hand on Lily's back as she leans into it, not at all about to give into the demands of their tiny, self-made protester. 

Even with a small child between them, a comfortable calm spreads in Julia's body. It's Friday evening, her child is safely in her arms, and David's lips are tugging gently on hers. She's had far worse Fridays, and few better. She forces the uncomfortable, albeit normal work tasks from her day to the back of her mind, feeling certain she has done what she can for now, and enjoys the serenity of being home.

“She's not the most receptive audience, your daughter.” Julia mumbles against his lips, and leaves one last peck before parting.

“Just be glad _your_ child doesn’t know about what happens to you after dark. She wouldn't approve.”

“Yes, don't tell her about the private adults only club.”

“Aye. Speaking of... Tonight. Me and you,” David leans in and whispers in her ear as a chill runs down her spine. “And not leaving the bed until the morning. Sleep be damned.”

“I’ll be holding you to that.” She presses her lips against his mouth one more time, savoring the slight hint of tomato sauce as she flicks her tongue across it. His eyes darken for one stolen moment, and Julia chews on her lip as David returns to the casseroles.

“The birthday invites arrived this morning.” David looks towards the pile of colorful invitations embossed with 'Lily Turns 1!' that lie on the stone counter. Julia sighs softly as she picks one up and studies it carefully, as David transfers the food from the pan into Lily's favorite plate with the woodland animals on it. She'd reluctantly agreed to this when they had discussed it two months ago, still not sure she felt it necessary to have anything but a small family get-together.

“She’s only one years old. Are you certain people have actual parties for such a small child...”

“Aye, I’ve got it handled.” David saw the uncertainty on Julia's face, and the slight hint of panic at thinking that she wouldn't have time for it all. He wiped his hands on the kitchen towel, and “All you have to do is pick a cake. Her first birthday party is as much for us as it is for her. To celebrate that she's been in our lives for a whole year. She won't remember it, but you _will_.”

“Fine. Thank you.” She gives him an unsure smile.

“Dada, dada.” Lily's arms stretch towards her father, and David laughs, fully amused, as he sets the plate down at the table while Julia feigns insult. She pulls along the Tripp Trapp towards the edge of the dining table and places her daughter back in her favorite chair.

“Oh, now that he has food you want to go back? I thought we had an understanding.” Julia's eyes narrow as she leans down and fastens the bib around her neck. Lily puckers her lips, closes her eyes and leans forward towards her mother for a kiss. A full, deep baby giggle fills the room as Julia covers her face in kiss after kiss before she is rewarded with a sloppy one in return. “You’re going to be trouble in a few years.”

David pulls out a chair, fills up two glasses from a fresh wine bottle out of the fridge and looks at Julia before they sit calmly next to the little girl. An eager foot finds a mate to play with under the table. Their eyes lock intently as he asks about her day, and their almost-one-year old watches her parents talk quietly as she plays happily with the fork and then the spoon in turns.

___________________________________________________________________________

David's night ends as he carries a warm, tired baby into their bed. He strokes Lily's clammy skin with cooling cloths and repeats calm, soothing words as he makes every attempt to lull her to sleep. He looks up at Julia with a tender smile when she finally leaves the bathroom and joins them, pale as a ghost and with a fever lurking. Julia collapses onto the bed, a hand grasping for his over the covers. Hurricane Ayana had struck.


	2. Sick Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julia's first experience with a sick (almost) toddler coincides with being sick herself for the first time in years. David tries his best, and his best is... actually pretty nice.

Julia stirs lightly when David enters their bedroom holding a tray. He watches as her eyes openly slowly, re-adjusting to the light as she turns towards him. She’s been ill for two days. The sleeping baby at the end of the bed the same. They’ve learned a few new things in the last 48 hours, the most important of which is that their daughters temperature spikes scarily fast and that there actually was an end to how many times a toddler could watch Peppa Pig. 

Lily is resting, finally. Clutching the green blanket Kim had knitted for her arrival in one hand, and the dangly ear of a plush rabbit in the other. Julia lies back down with a grunt of exhaustion after checking for her daughter, who is still curled up in the same position she’d last seen her in.

“How do you feel?”

“I take back what I said, I don't like anything about this. It's been two and a half days...”

“I tried to tell you. Poorly kids... it’s shit.” He runs a hand through his hair as he takes in the current state of his bedroom.

“Are you sure she's breathing? She's very small, just make sure she's-”

“Aye, Julia, she's fine. She's just stuffy and hot and doesn't know what's going on. I promise it's better when they can tell you what's wrong. And before you ask; yes, I double checked all her stats with Vicky, just like you said.” He looks at Lily quickly, before walking to Julia's side of the bed to press a kiss against her clammy forehead. David holds a cold, wet cloth against her face to deep sighs from Julia, and leaves it there as he returns back to the tray he's left by Lily's feet. “I have kept two children alive already - you could just trust that I know what I'm doing.”

“I promise to trust you in the future if you come make me feel a bit right better now.” David cocks his eyebrow and unsuccessfully attempts to hide the grin that forms on his face. Julia rolls her eyes and coughs as she pulls herself to a half-sitting position, leaned against the bed frame. 

“I meant rub my back, you dirty, dirty man.” 

“Aye, I know that's all you meant.” David smiles lovingly, tries not to laugh, and nods as he hands Julia a mug of soup and a small plate.

“Hadn’t been ill for five years before you Budds entered my life with all your germs. Forgot how shit it was.”

“Well, you didn't have anyone to make you a cheese toastie and homemade tomato soup.”

“No... It was all a bit shit then.” A warm smile passes between them, as David looks at her, his eyes glistening with tenderness. Julia takes a few, small sips of the soup as David holds a thermometer against Lily's ear and smiles with relief at finding that it has continued moving downward. He holds the thermometer up in front of her, and is met with a defeated sigh as Julia leans her head to the side so he can check hers too. He runs his left hand through her hair as he waits. At least it hasn't gone up. 

Julia had been starving, but turned down every single thing he'd offered with the excuse that she didn't have an appetite. Eventually David had asked what she would eat when she was ill as a child. She had told him of her beloved Nanny Lillian and how she had defiantly whipped up homemade tomato soup served with a cheese toastie on the side, ignoring any and all parental instruction from Frances. How Lillian had climbed into bed with Julia, to watch Mary Poppins until she would fall asleep. He'd heard tales of her before, the woman who had been the solid ground Julia had needed when her father passed away and her mother only withdrew to grieve alone. 

Julia hands David the empty mug and scarfs down the toastie. He grabs an empty water jug off the nightstand and replaces it with the one off the tray, full of ice cubes. Julia looks at him imploringly, and he winks as he finishes emptying the tray of the rest of his provisions from downstairs. Carefully finds the room on the bedside table for a plate of biscuits, both salty and sweet, a bag of crisps, and then exchanges the now warm can of soda for a new, cold one.

“Do you want me to watch Mary Poppins with you?” He asks delicately, as he leaves the empty tray against the bed and grabs the remote for the TV.

“No. Don't want to risk waking her. I do feel a bit better now that I've eaten. So maybe a cuddle?” That familiar eyebrow teases its way up again, and she continues with a firm voice. “ _Just_ a cuddle.”

She looks so tired and weak, no longer even half-way sitting up, but almost fully covered by the duvet. Damp tendrils stick to her forehead, not unlike the first time David Budd had ever seen Julia Montague seem vulnerable and deeply human. Only this time with a high temperature and a small child next to her who had finally and exhaustedly fallen asleep at the end of their bed. Life had changed in the close to 2 years that had passed since that pivotal night.

David pulls the covers down. He can feel the heat of her fever-ridden body radiating from the other side, as he carefully slides underneath and wraps her in his arms. She's warm enough that he could easily confuse her with a hot water bottle, but he slides an arm around her waist and pulls her close. He hears quiet sounds of happiness as her body slackens against him and relaxes into his embrace. 

He's spent 36 hours watching her trying to fight off the bug, while trying futilely to comfort the unhappy little person who only seemed to be able to choke out the occasional _'mama'_ in between exhausted sobs. He'd been unceremoniously dropped into second place, and David couldn't blame his daughter. If he had a choice, he would have chosen to be wrapped up Julia’s arms too. Even if she was responsible for his current position being unbearably warm. 

36 hours in, when he had finally managed to convince Julia that she couldn't just Montague her way through it - power through a fever and a head cold that both insisted she calm down - it took all of 45 seconds until she had been fast asleep. He'd made sure she was comfortable, tried to make sure Lily wasn't miserable and played nurse as best he could. It had become obvious that Julia wasn't used to being managed in such an obvious way. People organized her work schedule and handled things as she asked them to, but ultimately, she remained in control. But she had stood no chance against the persistent germs that ruled the playground. 

In fact, he’d listened to her growing irritation with the concept of play groups for the past few months - _'All it does is spread those fucking germs around, David, and the parents have no interests beyond their children's food or excreta'_ -, and as bad as he felt for her current state, watching Julia Montague handle any new class of Parenting 101 was endlessly entertaining. The neighborhood baby chat group they'd practically been bullied into joining right after Lily was born, was full of similar complaints and accusations as to where the bug had originated. David, however, was only grateful for the years of Ella and Charlie's snotty noses and cold ridden bodies preparing him. Sending them a silent 'thank you' for helping him build up a robust immune system. All of three of them being sick sounded like a nightmare. 

“I don’t know that I've never said this so explicitly before, but you're very, very hot, Julia Montague.”

“Mmm, tell me more things like that.” Her behind presses lightly against him and David bites his lip. Begs his body not to betray him. Not the time. 

“Just try to get some sleep.” Julia nods against his arm, resting her head against him and the pillow. He draws lazy circles on her hip while listening closely as her breaths grow deeper, calmer the more she relaxes against him.

_“Mama...”_

Lily whimpers again as her little head lifts off the bed, and Julia wakes from her half-slumber. Her little head turns toward them with tired, glassy eyes, and she crawls until she collapses between them. One tiny body settles in comfortably between the larger ones flanking her. Her face cuddled into the crook of her mother's arm as she puffs slow, deep breaths. Julia's tired hand rubs gentle circles on her small back and David puts his hand on her neck, relieved to find it much cooler than it had been an hour earlier.

And so they lie there, the three parts of a whole. Drawing deep, exhausted breaths as they all doze while the TV plays silently in the background.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the lovely comments on the last chapter. It felt good to post something, to not feel like my brain just couldn't finish anything. Comments do the soul good, and so does writing a bit again. At least trying.


End file.
